MESOP : ALL OF THEM – ERDOGAN – PUTIN – NETANJAHU COMING TOGETHER FOR TO RESCUE BASHAR AL ASSAD

Turkey’s Yildirim says aims to develop relations with Syria, Iraq

ANKARA,—  REUTERS  13 July 2016 – Turkey aims to develop good relations with Syria and Iraq, and both countries need to be stable for counter-terrorism efforts to succeed, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday.

Turkey has long been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s staunchest opponents, arguing that only his departure could stabilise Syria. The stance set it at odds with Assad’s ally Russia and distanced it from a U.S.-led coalition more focused on fighting Islamic State.

Since taking office in May, Yildirim has repeatedly said that Turkey needs to “increase its friends and decrease its enemies” – an apparent tacit admission that past policies have left Ankara sidelined.“It is our greatest and irrevocable goal: Developing good relations with Syria and Iraq, and all our neighbours that surround the Mediterranean and the Black Sea,” Yildirim said, in comments broadcast live on television.“We normalised relations with Russia and Israel. I’m sure we will normalise relations with Syria as well. For the fight against terrorism to succeed stability needs to return to Syria and Iraq,” he said. www.mesop.de